Nate Araskog
Written by Kevin Green | Photos by Peak RES
“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the fullest” (John 10:10, NIV).
July 2023 marked a life-changing moment for Nate Araskog when he was diagnosed with vestibular schwannoma, also known as an acoustic neuroma – a ping pong ball sized brain tumor affecting his balance, hearing and feeling on his face. It was the last thing he and his wife, Leslie, were expecting or wanted to hear.
“I had something that wasn’t supposed to be growing inside my brain and it was,” he reflects. “It was a shocking diagnosis to have.” In this time of great uncertainty, they turned to their faith. He and his wife Leslie trusted God. While sitting at the doctor’s office, they knew one thing, “We’ve got faith and God's got this.”
On October 10, 2023, Nate underwent surgery to remove the tumor, which was noncancerous. More than a year later, Nate has adapted to his new reality. Despite the challenges, he maintains an unwavering faith. “Through it all, our faith is stronger than ever. We know the Lord is teaching us to trust Him,” Nate shares. “I’m a Type A grinder, always wanting to know steps one through five, but God reminded me to just take the next step in front of me and trust Him.”
In a profound twist of fate, Nate’s surgery was scheduled for October 10—10/10, the very verse they had been standing on. The date also happened to be his father’s birthday. Just a year prior, his father had faced a life-threatening battle with leukemia and had undergone a bone marrow transplant. Witnessing his father’s journey and then enduring his own health crisis gave Nate a new perspective on life and gratitude.
Though the surgery left Nate completely deaf in one ear and affected his balance, he never wavered in his gratitude. “Losing my hearing was tough, but I’m grateful that I still have great hearing in my other ear. I can’t do all the high-performance activities I once did, but I’m 95% back to normal, and I’m very thankful for that; it could have been much worse.”
Through this experience, Nate embraced a new perspective. “I started reflecting on what I’m grateful for. Shifting focus to the positive allows us to live life more fully.”
Nate’s Background
Originally from Minnesota, Nate moved to Tulsa in 2003 to attend Oral Roberts University (ORU). Trading harsh winters for hot summers, he quickly fell in love with the Tulsa area. With a degree in health and exercise science, he pursued his passion for athletics, becoming an assistant strength and conditioning coach at ORU. In 2009, he co-founded Bootcamp Tulsa, an all-women’s fitness program that expanded to five locations with over 130 regular attendees. In addition to Bootcamp Tulsa, Nate also co-founded Dynamic Sports Development, a sports performance based facility for athletes in the Tulsa metro.
Entrepreneurship was in his blood, and soon Nate transitioned into the corporate wellness sector as a benefits and wellness manager for a local, private manufacturing company in Broken Arrow. However, the nine-to-five life didn’t fulfill him.
A Pivot to Real Estate
In late 2015, a mutual friend encouraged Nate to consider real estate. Having dabbled in property flips and rentals, he saw an opportunity and obtained his license in 2016. He started his real estate career with Danielle Sprik at Sprik Realty.
“I jumped in and got my feet wet for a while,” he says. “I got into the industry and there were a lot of buzzwords about real estate and treating it like a business. That’s when I got introduced to Keller Williams; their training and systems were really attractive as a new agent.” Jenny Wolek was instrumental in his early and quick success, and he ended up joining her team. “For me, it was an incredible opportunity, not only for the volume, but you also get to experience a lot of things you wouldn’t likely experience from doing real estate on your own.” Real estate isn’t easy, but it is rewarding. However, there is no substitute for hard work, drive and discipline.
“They don’t tell you that real estate is a grind,” Nate shares. “Social media and HGTV make it look glamorous, but the reality is it’s a lot of work. It’s a lot of warm/cold calls and a lot of “no’s”. If you’re not prepared, it can be disheartening.”
“What I love about real estate is that it provides a lot of opportunities, depending on what you want your life to look like. You can build a business as big or as small as you want.”
Through persistence and hard work, Nate developed systems that helped him thrive as an individual agent at Keller Williams. By 2019, he began exploring the investment side of real estate, which broadened his perspective on the industry’s potential.
His Why
For Nate, success isn’t just about transactions; it’s about creating a life that aligns with his values. A devoted husband to Leslie and a dedicated father of 3 teenagers, he prioritizes family. “We have a blended family, and our time with our kids is limited compared to traditional families. I want to be a present dad—coaching their sports teams, going on vacations, and making the most of every moment before they head off to college.”
Reflecting on his journey, Nate maintains an attitude of gratitude. “I never questioned ‘why me.' I just trusted that God had a plan. There are always people who have it worse than I do, and there’s so much to be thankful for. I didn’t have to go through chemo, radiation or long ongoing treatments or surgeries, and I had the best care at the Mayo Clinic.”
His daily routine now starts with gratitude. “I focus on the positives—the sun shining, an 80-degree day. It shifts my mindset and allows me to live life more fully.”
When he’s not working, Nate and his family love traveling. Last year, they spent two weeks in Europe, exploring Paris, Rocamadour, Barcelona, and the Azore Islands off the coast of Portugal. “Our kids love experiencing new cultures and history beyond a textbook. Seeing them engage in it firsthand is incredible.”
From overcoming personal hardships to thriving in real estate, Nate Araskog’s story is one that has been fueled by faith, dependent on gratitude, and embracing a positive mindset. Nate is an inspiration, making the most of every opportunity—in business, family, and life. He’s living life to the fullest, and it doesn’t get any better than that.
